Catastrophic Water Contamination: Risk of radioactive leakage into Lake Victoria — a primary source of drinking water, irrigation, and fisheries — with contamination bioaccumulating in fish and crops and affecting Uganda, Tanzania, and the broader Nile Basin.

Thermal Destruction of Aquatic Ecosystems: Discharge of heated cooling water (10–15°C increase) could kill fish larvae, destroy breeding grounds, reduce oxygen levels, and potentially collapse the ~800,000-metric-tonne annual fishing industry.

Irreversible Ecological Damage: Long-term radioactive pollution could permanently degrade fragile lake and terrestrial ecosystems already under environmental stress.

Severe Public Health Threats: Radiation exposure may increase cancer rates, birth defects, and genetic harm, while densely populated communities would face complex evacuation challenges during emergencies.

Intergenerational Nuclear Waste Burden: Spent nuclear fuel remains hazardous for thousands of years, requiring costly, technically complex, multi-generational management and secure storage.

Economic Collapse of Key Livelihoods: Over 85,000 direct fishing jobs and millions of indirect livelihoods in fisheries, agriculture (rice, vegetables, sugarcane), trade, and tourism could be devastated by real or perceived contamination.

Unsustainable Financial Cost and Opportunity Loss: With upfront costs of KES 500–600 billion, 10–20 years before returns, and expensive decommissioning obligations, the project diverts resources from Kenya’s already successful renewable energy sector, making nuclear an unnecessary and high-risk investment.